Martines



1956 R. MARTINES 2,735,998

FEMALE CONNECTOR MEMBER Filed Jan. 5, 1955 INVENTOR. Rene Mar Zines ATTORNEYS.

United States Patent FEMALE CONNECTOR MEMBER Rene Martines, Warwick, R. I. Application January 3, 1955, Serial No. 479,283

1 Claim. (Cl. 339-258) This invention relates to an improved female member of an electrical connector having resilient engaging portions.

Electrical connectors of the above type usually comprise a socket or female member having a resilient central tongue or strip which engages the tongue or blade of the male member so as to press the interfaced engaging parts to each other.

An object of this invention is to provide in the female member a flexible portion which will be suspended from a wall of the member at four separate locations.

Another object of the invention is to enable the said flexible portion to have a drum-like tension so arranged as to prevent twisting action taking place in said flexible portion.

A more specific object is to provide a female connector member having a channel in which the bottom wall thereof will be severed along lines so as to provide a substantially mid portion resiliently supported from four equally spaced locations.

With these and other objects in view, the invention consists of certain novel features of construction as will be more fully described and particularly pointed out in the appended claim.

In the accompanying drawings:

Figure 1 is a top plan view of an electric connector embodying my invention;

Figure 2 is a bottom plan view of the same;

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the female member connector of Figure 1;

Figure 4 is a cross sectional View taken substantially on lines 44 of Figure 3 and drawn on a larger scale;

Figure 5 is a similar view additionally showing the male member connector in position;

Figure 6 is a longitudinal central sectional view taken along line 66 of Figure 3 and drawn to a larger scale; and

Figure 7 is a similar view showing the male member connector in position.

The socket or female connector member according to the present invention is formed with a channel with overhanging flanges to receive the male member connector which has a blade-like portion which is engaged along the said flanges so as to provide a relatively large area of interfaced engagement. Two pairs of longitudinal parallel slots are pierced through the bottom wall of the channel. The pairs of slots extend in line and are separated with a web portion so as to form a longitudinal central strip connected at its mid portion by a lateral strip portion in crosslike formation. The mid portion of the cross is arched upwardly so as to be slightly above the rest of the bottom wall of the channel. The resilient arms of the cross adjacent the arch are arcuately depressed a substantial distance below the said bottom wall in loops which are joined to the sides of the arch in continuation thereof. Thus, the arch portion is resiliently suspended from four substantially equally spaced points so as to provide a controlled resiliency as well as to prevent any undesirable twisting action of the said arch.

Referring to the drawing, 10 designates a pair of electric connector terminals comprising a socket or female 2,735,998 Patented Feb. 21, 1956 connector member 11 and a male connector member 12. The male member 12 is made from suitable sheet material in a manner so as to provide a tongue or blade 13 having a pair of shoulders 14 so as to limit penetration of the blade 13 into member 11. An arcuate depression 15 is formed in one or opposite faces of the tongue, and the end 16 of the connector 12 may take any of various forms.

The female connector member 11 is also made from suitable sheet material and has a channel portion 17 provided with overhanging flanges 18 which are spaced from the bottom Wall 19 a distance slightly greater than the thickness of the blade 13. Two pairs of parallel longitudinal slots 20, 21 are pierced through the bottom wall 19 with the slots of one pair extending in a longitudinal line with the slots of the other pair with the aligned slots separated by a web or arm portions 23 (see Figure 3). Thus, there is formed a cross designated generally 24 having a longitudinal central strip 25 integrally joined at the ends thereof to the bottom wall 19 and a lateral strip at its mid portion forming the cross arms 23 which in turn are integrally joined with the bottom Wall 19, the cross and bot-tom wall being all of the same one piece of metal.

The junction of the strip 25 and arms 23 for-ms a mid portion which is arcuately arched upwardly as at 26 so as to project above the rest of the bottom wall 19. The portions of the strip 25 and arms 23 adjacent the arch 26 are arcuately depressed a substantial distance below the bottom wall 19 in loops 27, 2'8 with the portions thereof adjacent to the arch 26 extending in continuation thereof. The loop 27, 28 resiliently supports the arch 26 at four substantially equally spaced points. The width of the strip 25 and arms 23 may be chosen so as to control the flexibility of the loops. Thus, the arch 26 is resiliently suspended by a controlled resiliency.

The member 11 is provided with an extension provided with a pair of outer arms 30 which are adapted to be wrapped and crimped about the insulation of a conductor C placed between the arms. There is also provided a pair of inner arms 31 which are adapted to be crimped about the bare wire of the conductor. A welding tab 32 which is adapted to be engaged and welded to the bare wire portion extending beyond arms 31 is formed at the inner end of one of the arms 31.

The distance the arch 26 projects inwardly of the bottom wall 19 is such as to cause it to be in a flexed condition when engaged in the depression 15 of the male member so as to firmly press the blade 13 into engagement with the flanges 18. The suspension of the arch 26 as above described provides a drum-like resilient mounting which maintains the arch in proper relation and prevents any twisting action taking place in the arms which suspend the arch and thus a long permanence of the resiliency of said arms is attained.

Iclaim:

A female connector member having a pair of arms at one end for attachment to an electrical conductor and a channel portion at the other end formed with a bottom wall and overhanging flanges to receive a male connector member, said bottom wall comprising a peripheral portion and a centrally located arched protuberance, four right angularly arranged arms radiating from said protuberance and connected to a marginal edge at the peripheral portion of said bottom wall, two of said arms being parallel to the flanges and two at right angles thereto whereby said protuberance is suspended at four spaced locations in said bottom wall to cause the flexing thereof to be symmetrically distributed with reference to the member.

Soreng Feb. 1, 1955 Soreng Apr. 5, 1955 

